Happy Earth Day! Today we are celebrating Seattle’s three refilleries and the women running them. Meet Robin (co-owner of Ravenna Refills), Kyleigh (PUBLIC), and Heather (Mimi’s Zero Waste Market).
What is the strangest container someone has brought in to refill?
Robin: It doesn’t seem THAT strange but one time a customer brought a big jar without a lid & had to walk home with it filled to the top with dish soap!
Kyleigh: Delightfully quirky refill containers are what fuel us day to day. One favorite is a customer who upcycled a running hydration pouch into a refill pouch for their dish soap. So wildly practical!
Heather: Ones without lids!?
What is your favorite Earth quote or eco-friendly quote?
Robin: “Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
Kyleigh: “When an economic system actively destroys what we love, isn’t it time for a different system?” — Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry. That different system, to me, looks like one where we collectively reduce our waste — and my goal is to make it as easy as possible for folks to join that movement.
Heather: Earth care is self care.
What is your very favorite product you sell in your store?
Robin: I’m a HUGE fan of our shampoo & conditioner bars! We carry some lovely brands THAT REALLY WORK!
Kyleigh: My favorite products are what I like to call “gateway products,” i.e. the ones that open the door to trying even more of our low-waste, package-free options. Our cream deodorant refills from Routine, charcoal floss, foaming hand soap concentrate refills, and the solid dish block from NoTox Life are some of those fan favorites that really get people hooked on sustainable living!
Heather: Hard to pick just one, but probably the solid dish soap block.
Who is your eco-friendly hero, or someone in the environmental space you’re inspired by?
Robin: Robin Greenfield! He’s a pretty awesome human out there raising awareness through what many would describe as dramatic stunts. He’s a truly authentic person out there bringing so much awareness to so many people! A person who embodies the imperfect, welcoming and non-judgemental environmentalism concept I believe in is superbly represented by Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) who is the founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist Collective. She provides a hopeful point of view, while acknowledging the work that is needed by both individuals and corporations!
Kyleigh: Frankly, my community. The reason this refill shop has thrived for eight years is because of the people who put in the effort to bring their containers back month after month. It’s those small, consistent actions collectively adding up over time that will truly make a difference. Not the zero-waste perfectionists, but everyday people like us showing up and doing a little bit, again and again.
Heather: Anne-Marie Bonneau, aka The Zero Waste Chef. Also Mimi, my grandmother, for whom the store was named.
What is your favorite way to connect with the Earth?
Robin: I love going to Carkeek park to go hiking in the forest & hang out by the water
Kyleigh: I try to keep my day-to-day activities and decisions connected to the earth, but a hike or a walk to our West Seattle Farmer’s Market serves as a great reminder of the abundance around us for me!
Heather: Observing the minuscule (those posts showing what a blade of grass looks like under a microscope to the mountains and canyons with the same sense of awe.
What is your coolest Earth fact, or refillery fact?
Robin: It’s not about PERFECTION (or “all or nothing”), it’s about PROGRESS… & if everyone started taking one small step to get away from single-use plastics, that’s a huge win for the planet!
Kyleigh: We have lost count over the last 8 years, but we have diverted at least half a million containers from the waste stream. And counting!
Heather: Every neighborhood needs a refillery- that’s a fact!
